Over 60 people were killed and more than 100 injured after assailants burst into a large concert hall in Moscow on Friday and sprayed the crowd with gunfire. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the brutal onslaught, which targeted a gathering at Crocus City Hall, a prominent music venue on Moscow’s outskirts, reports AP.
The attack occurred just days after President Vladimir Putin’s landslide victory in the elections, marking one of the deadliest assaults in Russia in recent years, as the country’s war in Ukraine dragged into a third year.
The assault unfolded during a performance by the Russian rock band Picnic, with the assailants launching a coordinated attack on concertgoers. The assailants, clad in combat fatigues, reportedly entered the concert hall and opened fire indiscriminately on the crowd.
Reports indicated that guards at the venue were unarmed, leaving them vulnerable to the attackers’ onslaught. As the situation escalated, a massive fire erupted within the hall, further complicating rescue efforts and trapping many inside.
Videos circulating on social media depicted scenes of chaos and panic as attendees fled and attempted to escape the burning venue. Witnesses described a scene of horror, with gunfire ringing out and people trampling over each other in a desperate bid to seek safety.
The Investigative Committee, the top state criminal investigation agency, reported early Saturday that more than 60 people were killed. Health authorities released a list of 145 injured — 115 of them hospitalized, including five children.
A US intelligence official told The Associated Press that US intelligence agencies had learned the group’s branch in Afghanistan was planning an attack in Moscow and shared the information with Russian officials.
The Kremlin said Putin was informed minutes after the assailants burst into concert Hall, while Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that the incident was a “huge tragedy.”
PM Modi condemns attack
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India strongly condemns the heinous terror attack in Moscow and stands in solidarity with the government and the people of Russia.
“We strongly condemn the heinous terrorist attack in Moscow. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims,” Modi said in a post on X.
“India stands in solidarity with the government and the people of the Russian Federation in this hour of grief,” he said.